Trial of the alleged Trump assassination attempt reaches closing phase as prosecutors plan to conclude their case, and the defense readies their witnesses.
The seventh day of the trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, is drawing to a close. Routh, who is representing himself with standby counsel, is expected to present his own witnesses after the government completes closing arguments.
In court today, jurors heard from FBI Special Agent Nicholas Schnelle, who described Routh's alleged hideout found near the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club as a "final firing point" with "multiple shooting lanes." ATF Destructive Device Examiner Randy Walters testified that a gray storage box linked to Routh contained improvised firing mechanisms and parts designed to deliver a .50 caliber round.
During cross-examination, Routh asked if the majority of the items found were legal to own. Walters responded that they were not assembled, but that it is illegal for convicted felons to possess .50 caliber ammunition.
Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, occasionally interrupted Routh when he spoke after objections. The standby attorney for Routh in the trial is Michael J. Sullivan. Routh's children, Sara and Adam, were present in court.
The court is scheduled to break on Friday afternoon for a charge conference with counsel. Once the defense begins, jurors could hear from Routh's witnesses, including a firearms expert and potential character witnesses.
Earlier this week, Walters also testified that the homemade components, including rat traps, were spray-painted green and that seven partially assembled devices were inside a bag in the box. He stated that the repetition of the partially assembled devices showed "someone definitely attempting or tinkering with new ideas."
The images of exhibits presented in court by the government were shown on September 17, 2025. Schnelle demonstrated the safety on the SKS rifle for the jury and stated that the gun is similar to an AK-47. He compared the fence used for support of the rifle to "loophole shooting in combat operations."
Jamie Joseph, a U.S. Politics reporter for our website Digital, is covering the trial. She reports on transgender and culture issues, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and stateside legislative developments.
As the trial continues, stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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